In a City of Ruin
by RenjiMarkings
Summary: In a City of Ruin Ukitake and Kyoraku are seriously injured from their duel with Stark and Lilynette with a surprise attack from Wonderweiss. After the battle with Aizen, a rogue Shinigami pulls Ukitake from the rubble and that's when their story begin


For a Shinigami so close to the brink of death, there was no bright light. Their spiritual bodies just dissolved, becoming spirit particles once more. Ukitake lay on his back, staring at the slowly clearing sky, his eyes lulling over to Kyoraku who lay face down but was more alive than he was. How he could have let himself become so blinded?

Victory was theirs, Starrk had been defeated with his partner but up came that sneak attack…What an example he was.

Perhaps…He would join Kaien Shiba sooner than he anticipated.

"What a mess soul society has made once again…"A voice said lowly, a clatter of rubble falling down somewhere.

Who…

"Juu san…and hachi Taicho?"The same voice said as someone knelt down by Kyoraku, moving the hair aside to look at the number before turning to him. Ukitake didn't even have the strength to swallow. What if they were another arrancar or a rogue shinigami working for Aizen seeking revenge?

He didn't even have the strength to sit up to see. "This one is more worse for wear…"They said, and through his weary vision, Ukitake could make out the stranger. They were a shinigami…one of the few unique ones who accompanied their typical uniform with a scarf or in this person's case, a cape with a chinese collar that split in the back like a swallow's tail.

"Nnn…"He managed to slip out.

"Still alive? You won't make it to a Squad 4'er anytime soon…Fuck but now that you're alive, it's edging on my conscience…"They spoke, kneeling down. The captain could feel a very warm hand on his skin, feeling it trail from his forehead to his cheek.

Then a jolt of pain.

Then nothing.

"Juushiro…"A rough voice called.

A bright light shined in his eyes, a hollow creaking sound making him turning his head. What a light! It hurt his eyes and the heat that poured in warmed his skin. "Br…ight…"He whined, lulling his head the other direction.

"You'll get used to it…being unconscious for two weeks will do that."A smooth, calm voice spoke.

Ukitake lulled his head over to the voice, his brow furrowing. "Two weeks?"He breathed, dragging an arm back and forcing himself to sit up. A hand grabbed his shoulder, making him lay back again.

"Your wound is not completely healed yet…You've still got a gaping hole in you."The voice spoke again, this time with a face. Ukitake saw that his rescuer was a woman, a human with chocolate brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a blue yukata, decorated with birds with a yellow obi.

"Your…"He spoke, getting a flick on the side of his head causing him to groan.

"I'm alive, yes."She spoke as she moved away from his view a second, returning with a bowl. A cold cloth was placed on his forehead, his eyebrows furrowing a little at the cold feeling. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you so you can get something into you that's good."

"I need to go back…"He spoke as he forced himself to sit up. "Soul…"

"Soul? Come to think of it, you are an odd sort of fella. When I found you, you were wearing an odd getup…I thought you might haven a ghost at first wearing just black and white."The woman smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder and forcing him back down again, causing him to groan. "All I know is, you're injured and sick. Do you know you cough at night? I was up three days taking care of you during a bad fit."

"Coughing…"Ukitake groaned, putting a hand to his chest. "My illness…I apologize…"

"Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep."She ordered, pulling the blanket up further.

Ukitake let his eyes slip closed, his eyebrows furrowing. He could swear he felt a reiatsu surround him that was not his own and something like a large Lotus flower made of black iron and gold. His wound no longer hurt and he felt an incredible comfort come over him, like the feeling of coming home.

When he opened his eyes, the bright light from earlier had gone away and something very meaty and saucy, from the smell of it, was being cooked. Ukitake rolled his eyes upwards, seeing the woman pouring a bowl of stew and walking over.

"Good evening."She spoke smoothly once more, Ukitake raising his eyebrows. "Hungry?"

"It smells delicious."The captain admitted. The bowl of stew was set by his bed, watching the woman get up and move as she dragged something over, putting it by the head of his futon. A crate? She returned, putting her hand under his head and chest, lifting up slowly so he could sit up.

"It's not often a woman can man-handle me this way…Tell me your name?"Ukitake grimaced before a bowl was put in his hands.

"Hotaru."She answered.

"That means firefly, doesn't it?"Ukitake asked, a little dazed and dizzy from moving. He sniffed the stew, picking up the chopsticks that had been laid with it and taking a bite.

"It does…What's yours?"Hotaru asked lowly.

"His name is Ukitake Juushiro. Captain of Squad jyuu san…"Another voice spoke up as the door of the hut slid open, a woman in black Shinigami robes and the swallow-tail cloak Ukitake had only seen once before.

"How did you-"Ukitake started, the woman squatting down next to the futon.

"Soul Society is in a tizzy over your disappearance or your apparent 'death'."The Shinigami explained, sitting cross-legged. Hotaru went to go bring another bowl of stew over, handing it to the new person. "You don't know how hard it is to sneak around when everybody is still roaming around the seireitei in a rush."

The Captain stared at the new woman, trying to figure out just WHO she was. He had never seen her there before, not even at the academy where he visited with Kyoraku in varying times. She had auburn hair and soil-dark eyes that stared at him with a brute glare.

"You…can go to the seireitei? But…"He said lowly. "Why am I here? You could have taken me back if you had that ability to…"

"It's hard carrying someone around through the senkai gate, let alone get there unnoticed."She clicked her teeth, picking up the chopsticks. "No more questions. Eat the stew and when you're back on your feet, we'll explain everything."

"Ano…"He started, getting a glare before shrinking down some. "Thank you."

The women looked at each other, Hotaru smiling and looking back to him sweetly. "Of course. Eat up."She said, lifting her own bowl. Dinner was rather talkative despite the she-shinigami's brute manner. Ukitake learned that they had lived there some time but, Akako, the Shinigami who had 'rescued' him wouldn't reveal more.

Both women took to their beds after cleaning up dinner, Akako sleeping sitting up by the door while Hotaro snuggled down in a Futon on the other side of the hut. Ukitake lay on his own, looking up at the ceiling before letting his eyes drift over to Akako. She was asleep though he could tell that it was very light. One dark eye opened up in the dark, staring at him before she lulled her head over to one shoulder.

"Go to sleep."She ordered.

"I have taken your bed…haven't I?"He asked, his brow furrowing.

"No. I always sleep like this."Akako answered, looking back to him. "Go back to sleep."

Giving up for the time being, Juushiro closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off. He twitched a little, feeling a reiatsu appear then disappear, the cry of a hollow sounding off in the distance.


End file.
